OS/2, eCS & ArcaOS - Technical > Networking

Intel 6205 Wireless, GenMAC, GenMU Test, and ArcaOS

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Doug Bissett:

--- Quote ---I had a look at the contents of GenMU_INTEL_WIFI-0-4-6.wpi to see

1] If there was any update for my 8086:4232 - I am using a driver from GENMU_TEST-0-2-7.WPI

2] What driver the N6205 uses

I believe the GenMU_INTEL_WIFI-0-4-6.wpi package is newer than the GENMU_TEST-0-2-7.WPI package but the GenMU_INTEL_WIFI-0-4-6.wpi driver listed for the 8086:4232 is older
--- End quote ---

The TEST packages have been built to properly install the drivers, but nobody has reported that they actually work. The drivers in the other packages have been reported to work, but that doesn't mean that they will work for everybody, under all conditions.

Intel drivers seem to be pretty consistent, but newer drivers are larger, and require more resources, which aren't available in GENMAC. Sometimes, the older drivers will work, while the newer ones won't, even with newer hardware. The ultimate limit seems to have been reached about 4 years ago, and nothing new has been (un)supported since then.

FWIW, I have an Intel WiFi in my Lenovo L530 (8086:0891). I can load the GENMAC driver, and it works exactly like a wired NIC, with no cable attached. The problem that I have with it, is that I can find no way to turn the radio on (which effectively plugs in the wire). I am pretty sure that it would work, if I could get the radio turned on.

Fortunately, I hear that the Arca Noae WiFi driver is in the last stages of development, so support should come alive, in the near future (probably a few months).

Pete:
Hi Doug

I see from using wpiview on GenMU_INTEL_WIFI-0-4-6.wpi that the 8086:0891 also uses the netw4x32.reg and netw4x32.sys files.

As these Intel files "grow" as a result of updated and new drivers being added to what seems to be a "multipack of drivers" - the same driver file has code for a range of wireless nics - there is a chance that the advice given to Eric could work for your 8086:0891; I have just modified that post.

GENMAC2.WPI from the eCS2.2beta2 dvd/iso will also need to be installed as v2.20 releases seem to fail to load drivers they do not "know" about.

On my Intel (Dell) 5100 laptop the wireless led comes on just after genmac reports the driver as loaded.

Hopefully the eagerly awaited wireless nic drivers from Arca Noae will enable us to move on from fiddling hopefully with genmac drivers in the near future.


Regards

Pete

Doug Bissett:

--- Quote ---I see from using wpiview on GenMU_INTEL_WIFI-0-4-6.wpi that the 8086:0891 also uses the netw4x32.reg and netw4x32.sys files.
--- End quote ---

It actually uses completely different file names in windows. Those files also seem to work, as well as the netw4x32.* files do. the number "4" indicates the version of the windows driver netw5x32.* is newer, but also requires more resources. I have also tried older ones, with the same results, and they are actually more likely to work, until the device needs something that they don't support. Choosing netw4x32.* was a compromise, and some of the packaged (TEST) drivers have multiple copies in them, but only one is configured. They can e selected by editing PROTOCOL.INI.


--- Quote ---GENMAC2.WPI from the eCS2.2beta2 dvd/iso will also need to be installed as v2.20 releases seem to fail to load drivers they do not "know" about.
--- End quote ---

Not true. The only difference between GENMAC 2.20 and 2.21, is that in 2.21, they left out some of the windows drivers that they couldn't get permission to include. ArcaOS did the same thing, but they also pulled the GENMAC drivers for devices that are now supported by the MultiMac project. Unsupported devices are supported in exactly the same way in both cases. Sometimes they work, and often they don't. System loading seems to have a large effect on whether it works, or not, but that seems to be something in GENMAC, and we don't have the source to be able to fix it. It is known that one of the problems is that the windows driver sometimes overwrites the GENMAC configuration. A couple of people tried to fix that, but it didn't work.


--- Quote ---On my Intel (Dell) 5100 laptop the wireless led comes on just after genmac reports the driver as loaded.
--- End quote ---

As i said, mine works perfectly, as if there was no cable attached to a wired NIC (I can assign an IP address, and ping it). There is no way to turn on the radio, which effectively attaches the wire. From what I found out, Linux had a program to do that (using ACPI), but it got replaced by something in the Linux kernel, and I can't find the source any more. It is also obvious that windows uses an add on driver to control the radio. About the only thing I didn't try, was to hard wire a switch to the adapter. Since I already had an external WiFi device, that connects to the wired NIC, and AN was working on a proper driver, I didn't bother trying any more.

Eric:
Thanks for the suggestion/info Pete and Doug.  I implemented Pete's suggestion, but got the same results.  Worth a shot though, so thanks!

For the record, drivers load fine, just no connection.  It may be what Doug is experiencing with the radio not being "connected".  Here's what \IBMCOM\LANTRAN.LOG says.  The blank MAC makes me think it won't work anyway:


--- Code: ---RND32$  WRAPPER for bus: 3 slot: 0 Vendor: 0x8086 Device: 0x0085.
WRND32$  load SYS: "netw5x32.sys" length: 3630080 CRC: 0x5ba4 / 0x1005.
WRND32$  load INF: "netw5x32.reg" length: 2647.
WRND32$  WRAPPER ErrorLog 0x40001b7c.
WRND32$  WRAPPER hardware init successfull MAC : 000000:000000.
--- End code ---

Good to hear the Arca Noae driver is progressing!

Thanks,
-Eric

Pete:
Hi Eric

Sorry to read it did not work for you.The lantran.log does indicate a probable reason: the MAC address is all 0's.

I suppose the big question is: Does loading the driver turn on whatever visible indicator is used to show WiFi is on?

If it does not then I would guess that is the reason for the MAC address being 0 and that you need a later driver - the problem there is, as Doug mentioned, genmac cannot cope with the later, bigger drivers.

Yes, installing ArcaOS to a laptop/notebook will, hopefully, become a little easier when the Arca Noae wireless drivers happen.


Regards

Pete

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